The Thoroughbred racing industry joined forces on Sunday, April 23rd for the fifth annual PDJF Telethon to raise over $300,000 for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). The event was presented by Lane's End Farm.
The event, which brings Hall of Fame jockeys, FanDuel TV's on-air talent and other prominent racing personalities together to man the phone lines, has grown each year since the inception in 2018. Since the inaugural telethon, there has been over $1.5 million raised to support jockeys who have suffered serious on-track injuries.
“When everyone in the sport comes together, good things can happen,” said Kevin Grigsby, FanDuel TV executive producer. “We are grateful to our industry partners at Keeneland, Santa Anita and NYRA for their collaborative efforts to make this event a success. We are proud of all that we have raised so far but know the work is not done – we are already looking ahead to next year's telethon.”
“Being a part of this event is a great honor,” said Mike Joyce, a board member of the PDJF and on-air host at FanDuel TV. “I want to personally thank every single person who took time to donate to this worthwhile cause. No matter how large or small a donation, each one is so important.”
There were donations from supporters across the country including major donations from Jim McIngvale, Lee Einsidler, Vince Foglia and Lane's End Farm. In addition, FanDuel matched all donations up to $100,000.
“We are grateful to everyone who has been supportive of the annual telethon that has made it a success for the PDJF,” said Nancy LaSala, PDJF Board President. “It also allows the jockeys from the past and present to connect with the racing fans in a very personal way. This would not be possible without the platform provided by FanDuel TV who from the beginning supported this concept.”
This year was the second consecutive year that the event was simulcast on both FanDuel TV and America's Day at the Races in collaboration with NYRA and FOX Sports.
The PDJF is a registered 501(c)3 charity that provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered on-track injuries. Since its foundation in 2006, PDJF has disbursed over $11 million to support disabled jockeys, the organization is 100% reliant on charitable donations.
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